Sign holder for application to vehicle doors



Aug- 19, 1969 M. E. wlLsoN 3,461,584

SIGN HOLDER FOR APPLICATION TO VEHICLE DOORS Filed Feb. 17. 1967 l/V VEN TOR MINOR E. WILSON Unted States Patent O 3,461,584 SIGN HLDER FR APPLlCATlN TO VEHICLE DGRS Minor E. `Wilson, Batavia, Uhio, assignor to Wilson .Seat Company, Cincinnati, Ghia, a corporation of h10 Filed Feb. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 618,278 Int. Cl. Gll9f 7/ 60 U.S. Cl. Lill-129 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DHSCLSURE The sign holder is flexible to overlie flat or curved vehicle doors which may vary in size and contour. It provides protection for an inserted sign against adverse weather, and includes an inner transparent flap for retaining a sign or advertising sheet against accidental dislodgement by air movement, vibration, or other external forces directed thereto. Simplicity, economy, and serviceability are emphasized, and the holder may be rolled or folded for economical shipment and storage.

The present invention vrelates to a sign holder for application to the doors of automotive vehicles of various types.

An object of the invention is to provide a sign holder for application to vehicle doors, which is readily removable and replaceable and which will :lit the doors of all automatic vehicles, including trucks, buses, and passenger cars of all makes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sign holder of the character stated, which is simple and durable, attractive, and highly serviceable.

A further object is to provide a sign holder having the characteristics above stated, and which is so constructed that sign sheets may be inserted therein or removed with ease and despatch, and without damage thereto.

Another ofbject is to provide a highly serviceable sign holder of the character stated, which is inexpensive to manufacture and to ship or store when necessary, and which affords ample protection for any signs or advertising sheets inserted therein.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the improved sign holder shown applied to a door of an automotive vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the sign holder, shown partly in cross-section.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of an elastic anchor assembly forming a detail of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

With reference to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 8 indicates the sign holder generally, which may be substantially rectangular in shape, and having four corners at which the holder may be supported in flatwise condition against a door panel lil or other supporting surface. At each of the four corners, the holder may be provided with an anchor assembly including a hook 12 having an eye 14 in which is embraced an elastic loop or ring 16 which may be distended or stretched to oblong formation as the hooks are applied to opposite edges of panel in accordance with FIG. l. The holder may be mounted upon panels such as 10, even though different panels may vary to a considerable extent as to size.

The body of the holder may comprise a weatherproof, flexible back sheet 18 cut to the size of the holder desired,

said back sheet being adapted to rest substantially liatwise against door panel 1li. A flexible transparent window sheet 20 of plastic material is cut to the approximate size of the back sheet, and forms a window for the sign holder. By means of rows of stitching 22, the upper edges of sheets 18 and 20 along with an upper reinforcing strap 24, are joined in flatwise contact. Similarly, a lower reinforcing strap 26 overlies the lower margins of sheets 18 and 20, and rows of stitching 28 secure the strap Z6 thereto.

Each strap 24 and 26 may be folded over or turned upon itself at opposite ends thereof, to provide strap loops 30 embracing the several elastic rings 16. Loops 30 may extend beyond the opposite vertical ends of sheets 18 and '20, as shown.

One vertical end 32 of the sign holder is open to re ceive a sign or advertising card inserted between the sheets 18 and 2li, and the opposite vertical end 3d thereof is closed to limit insertion of the sign or card. At the closed end, a vertical strap 36 may be secured to the forward margins of sheets 18 and 20, as by means of parallel rows of stitches 38 which are spaced apart to provide a hem or channel containing an upright stiifener 40. The stitlener may be a rod or bar of metal or other substantially rigid material extending from upper strap 24 to lower strap 26. The stitching 38 may join together the sheets 18 and 2li, and the strap 36, at opposite sides of stiifener 48. At opposite ends of stiffener 40, a fastener grommet, or rivet 42 may pass through the vertical strap, the horizontal straps, and the corner portions of sheets 18 and 2li.

At the open end 32 of the holder, a binding strip 44 may be secured along the adjacent marginal edge of back sheet 18, as by means of a row of stitching 46, the binding strip being turned upon itself to provide a hem or channel 48 embracing an elongate stitfener 50. The row of stitching 52 which closes the hem, may pass through an elongate sign retainer sheet or ap 54 having a vertical Vfree edge 56 `disposed at a limited distance from hem 48, between back sheet 18 and transparent sheet 2li. The retainer sheet or flap 54 may be formed of transparent liexible plastic sheet stock, and its upper and lower ends may be ancho-red by means of the stitchings 22 and 28.

The purpose of retainer sheet 54, is to preclude acci dental displacement of a sign or advertising sheet 60 through the open end 32 of the sign holder. As indicated by FIGS. 4 and 5, the sign or advertising sheet 68' inserted flatwise into the open end of the holder, rests fiatly against back sheet 18 and is covered by transparent sheet 20; and after full insertion of the sign or advertising sheet into the holder, the trailing edge thereof is tucked into the pocket space between retainer Hap '54 and back sheet 18. This is easily done because of the iiexibility of the sign and the sign holder components.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be understood that a sign or advertising sheet inserted into the holder as above suggested, will be effectively retained therein against accidental dislodgement by vibration or force of air currents resulting from movement of the Vehicle carrying the sign holder. In fact, the sign may be removed from the holder only by the deliberate act of extracting its retained margin manually from the pocket space provided between sheets 54 and 18.

It may here be noted that stiifener 'Sti can be in all respects similar to stiffener 40; and at opposite ends of stiflener Sil the corners of the holder may be reinforced by fasteners, grommets, or rivets 62 similar to those at 42. The fasteners 62 may pass through the sheets 18 and 20, the binding strip 44, and the upper and lower reinforcing straps 24 and 26. Straps 24 and 26, as well as strap 36, may be of woven webbing or other iiexible material havel# ing substantial tensile strength and resistance to stretching, by preference.

lf desired, the stitching employed in assembling the sign holder might be discarded in favor of other fastening means, for example staples, rivets, suitable weatherproof adhesives, or combinations thereof as may be desired. The elastic rings 16 may be of rubber-like material or they may comprise metallic tension springs suitable covered, coated or treated to render them weather-resistant.

When snap fasteners such as 42 and 62 are to be used exclusively, for mounting the sign holder upon a panel, the elastic anchoring means 12-16-30 may be omitted if desired, and additional snap fasteners may be applied along the length of straps 24 and 26. In that event, snap fastener elements complementary to those at 4?. and 62, will be mounted upon door panel 16 with proper spacing and location to accept the snap fasteners of the sign holder when the sign holder is placed flatwise against the door panel. The number of snap fasteners employed may be increased if necessary, to ensure proper retention of the sign holder fiush against the door panel.

It is to be understood that various other modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A sign holder for application to the outer panel of a vehicle door or the like, which panel includes upright opposite edge flanges spaced apart, said holder comprising: a flexible back sheet, and a transparent flexible window sheet superposed thereon said sheets being substantially rectangular and of lesser area than the supportive panel; upper and lower marginal edge portions, and forward and trailing edge margins on each of said sheets disposed transversely of said upper and lower marginal edge portions; means joining together the corresponding upper marginal edge portions of the sheets and the corresponding lower marginal edge portions thereof, to provide a sign-receptive space between the sheets; means closing said space along the forward edge margins of the sheets, leaving the trailing edge margins free for access to the sign-receptive space aforesaid; a transparent flexible flap within the sign-recepitive space at the free trailing edge margins of the back and window sheets, for normally retaining against withdrawal a sign panel introduced between said sheets; and elastic detachable anchorage means at opposite ends of the upper and lower marginal edge portions of the sheets, including hooks to engage the opposite end flanges of the door panel while drawing the flexible hack sheet taut across said panel.

2. The sign holder as specified by claim l, wherein the transparent flexible fiap includes a free edge directed toward the closed forward edge margins of the sheets, said free edge of the ap being spaced from the back sheet and the window sheet within the sign-receptive space therebetween.

3. The sign holder as specified by claim 2, wherein is included a pair of stiffeners adjacent to and parallel with the flexible flap and the closed forward edge margins of the sheets, for maintaining a predetermined spaced relationship between the upper and the lower marginal edge portions of the sheets.

4. The sign holder as specified by claim 1, wherein is included reinforcing means at the flexible ap and at the closed forward edge margins of the sheets, for maintaining a predetermined spaced relationship between the upper and the lower marginal edge portions of the sheets.

y5. The sign holder as specified by claim ll, wherein the detachable anchorage means comprises a pair of flexible straps secured to the back sheet and the window sheet along the upper and lower marginal edge portions thereof, said straps each having loops formed at the opposite ends thereof, and an elastic ring in each loop, said elastic rings i each having one of said hooks mounted thereon at a location opposite the loop of a strap.

6. The sign holder as specified by claim S, wherein the strap loops extend outwardly beyond the closed forward edge margins and the open trailing edge margins of the back and window sheets.

7. The sign holder as specified by claim 6, wherein the straps aforesaid are of inelastic material.

`8. The sign holder as specified by claim 7, wherein is included a pair of stitieners extended between the upper and lower fiexible straps near the looped ends thereof, for maintaining a predetermined spaced relationship between the upper and the lower marginal edge portions of the sheets.

9. The sign holder as specified by claim 8, wherein the fiexible straps carry adjacent to each loop, one securing element of a bi-part snap fastener.

10. The sign holder as specified by claim 5, wherein the flexible straps have mounted thereon adjacent to each loop, one securing element of a bi-part snap fastener.

11. The sign holder as specified by claim l, wherein said anchorage means includes a pair of flexible straps secured to the back sheet and to the window sheet along the upper and lower marginal edge portions thereof, said straps each having loops formed at the opposite ends thereof to support an elastic detachable anchorage means aforesaid.

12.The sign holder as specified by claim 11, wherein the straps carrying the loops are inelastic.

13. A sign holder for application to the outer panel of a vehicle door or the like, which panel includes upright opposite edge flanges spaced apart, said holder comprising: a fiexible back sheet, and a transparent flexible window sheet superposed thereon, said sheets being suhstantially rectangular and of lesser area than the supportive panel; upper and lower marginal edge portions, and forward and trailing edge margins on each of said sheets disposed transversely of said upper and lower marginal edge portions; means joining together the corresponding upper marginal edge portions of the sheets, and the corresponding lower marginal edge portions thereof, to provide a sign-receptive space between the sheets; means closing said space along the forward edge margins of the sheets, leaving the trailing edge margins free for access to the sign-receptive space aforesaid; a transparent exible fiap within the sign-receptive space at the free trailing edge margins of the back and window sheets, for yieldingly retaining against withdrawal a sign panel introduced between said sheets; and elastic detachable anchorage means at opposite ends of the upper and lower marginal edge portions of the sheets, including hooks to engage the opposite edge anges of the door panel while drawing the flexible back sheet taut across said panel; said detachable anchorage means comprising a pair of flexible straps secured to the back sheet and the window sheet along the upper and lower marginal edge portions thereof, said straps each having loops formed at the opposite ends thereof, and an elastic ring in each loop, said elastic rings each having one of said hooks mounted thereon at a location opposite the loop of a strap; and a securing element of a bi-part snap fastener mounted upon each of said flexible straps adjacent to each said loop.

lidi. The sign holder as specified by claim 13, wherein the transparent flexible Hap includes a free edge directed toward the forward edge margins of the sheets, said free edge of the flap being spaced from the back sheet and the window sheet within the sign-receptive space therebetween.

15. A sign holder for application to the outer panel of a vehicle door or the like upon which may be mounted a plurality of snap fastener elements, said holder comprising: a liexible back sheet, and a transparent flexible window sheet superposed thereon, said sheets being substantially rectangular and of lesser area than the supportive panel; upper and lower marginal edge portions, and

forward and trailing edge margins on each of said sheets disposed transversely of said upper and lower marginal edge portions; means joining together the corresponding upper marginal edge portions of the sheets, and the corresponding lower marginal edge portions thereof, to provide a sign-receptive space between the sheets; means closing said space along the forward edge margins of the sheets, leaving the trailing edge margins free for access to the sign-receptive space aforesaid; a transparent flexible flap within the sign-receptive space at the free trailing edge margins of the back and window sheets, for normally retaining against Withdrawal a sign panel introduced between the ap and the back sheet; a pair of exible straps secured to the window sheet and to the back sheet along the upper and lower marginal edge portions thereof; and a plurality of snap fastener elements anchored to said straps, said elements being complementary to those of the door panel, and arranged for detachable connection therewith for retaining the sign holder against said panel.

16. The sign holder as specified by claim 15, wherein the transparent flexible ap includes a free edge directed toward the closed forward edge marginsof the sheets, said free edge of the ilap being spaced from. the back and the window sheets within the sign-receptive space therebetween.

17. The sign holder as specified by claim 15, wherein is included a pair of stiffeners adjacent to and parallel with the flexible ap and the closed forward edge margins of the sheets, for maintaining a predetermined spaced relationship between the upper and lower marginal edge portions of the sheets.

18. The sign holder as specied by claim 17, wherein the straps aforesaid are of inelastic material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATE-NTS 1,484,231 2/ 1924 Pistocco 40-128 2,027,517 1/1936` Cobbs 40-10 2,048,105 7/ 193 6 Cobbs. 2,166,048 7/ 1939 Fritsch 40-129 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. L. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

